Lookie! This anthology released last month and you don’t want to miss it. Magical Seduction by Cathryn Fox, Mandy Roth, and Anya Bast, released in paperback from Pocket/EC on 15 April 2008. Here’s a peek at Anya’s story, Tempted by Two…
Witches, werewolves, things that bump in the night…And three arousing tales of sexual delight.
CATHRYN FOX, Web of Desire – Good witch Ally gets naughty when she discovers her long-lost high school sweetheart caught — literally — in a web of lust and seduction.
MANDY M. ROTH, Solo Tu – When Francy shows up after five years of separation to tell her beloved Dante, a werewolf, that she’s engaged to a vampire, he seduces her with a steamy surprise of his own.
ANYA BAST, Tempted by Two – Not only did Miranda just learn that she’s a half-blood fae, but she’s also got two — two! — deliciously muscular mates. She’d better adjust to all the sexy attention before a vengeful goblin tries to get in on the threesome….
E-X-C-E-R-P-T
from Temped by Two by Anya Bast
Theo walked into his dark apartment and set his keys down in the multi-colored ceramic bowl near his answering machine. He had no messages. It had been three days and he’d heard nothing from Miranda.
Damn.
The hair prickled along his arms and at the back of his neck, letting him know he wasn’t alone. His head jerked up and his gaze centered on the dark form sitting in a chair in the living room.
“You fucking slept with her,” came Marco’s low, angry voice.
“Marco—”
Marco was out of the chair and on him before he could utter his next word. Theo slammed back against the phone table under Marco’s weight.
Marco grabbed Theo’s shirt and dragged him up against his chest. “You fucking slept with her, you bastard,” Marco growled and slammed his fist into Theo’s face. Blinding white-hot pain blossomed across his cheekbone and over his temple. He tasted coppery blood on his tongue.
Rage erupted in Theo. In a burst of strength, he pushed Marco back and snarled, “Hie beaucahm!” Stop now! There was no sense in fighting. They were evenly matched in most every way, magickally and physically. It would be a draw. There was no point. Anyway, he didn’t want to fight his best friend.
Marco stilled at the use of the old language. He backed away warily, a violent expression on his face. “I can feel the residual emotion in here. I know you did.”
Theo put a hand to his aching face. “Yes,” he said calmly. “I slept with her. I’m sorry, but I don’t regret it.”
He watched Marco uneasily. He’d never seen his partner this way. Marco seemed to seethe with rage and frustration. “You need to back the fuck off for a while, my friend,” he growled. “You are getting entirely too possessive.”
Theo shook his head, gingerly touching his cheek where he was sure a bruise was already showing itself. “She’s not ready for us, Marco. Not for either us, certainly not both of us together.”
“Fuck you!”
Theo looked up, half amused, half pissed off. “Excuse me?”
“You’re just saying that so I’ll ease off you and give you more time alone with her.”
Theo sighed. “Look, Marco. I told her about the bonding and she fled my apartment like I’d just told her she was going to die of cancer or something.”
“You told her after you slept with her.”
“Focus, Marco! You’re missing the point. Yes, I told her after I slept with her. My tale of OtherKin bonding scared her. The whole of it frightened her to bits, especially the part where I said she was bonded to both of us and likely love and commitment would follow.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “Fuck. She hasn’t called me in three days.”
Marco walked over and slumped down onto the couch. “So now what?”
Theo flicked the lights on with his mind, bathing his cream and blue living room in a soft glow. “Now, you go to see her. Maybe your charms will be more persuasive than mine were.”
Marco shot him a dirty look.
“I’m serious, Marco. I’m backing off, giving you room to woo.” He waved his hand. “So, go…woo.” The thought of Marco with Miranda set his teeth on edge, made jealousy rise, but he needed to tamp it down. They couldn’t do this. He sighed and touched his face. “That’s what you want, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Go see her tomorrow at work. She’s got to be feeling the bond a little. I know she’s attracted to both of us. I don’t think she’ll reject you.”
Marco grinned arrogantly. “She won’t reject me.”
Theo smiled in spite of himself. “Well, if you’re so sure, go find out. Just don’t push too hard, all right?”
Marco got up and started walking toward the door. He turned before he left. “Sorry about punching you.”
“Hey, believe me, sleeping with Miranda was worth it.”
Rage passed over Marco’s face briefly, then he turned and left.
Theo sat for a while in this living room nursing his swelling face and trying not to think about Marco’s hands on Miranda, her sighs, her moans all for him…and failing.
